Question Number: 74
PDR Number: SQ22-000620
Date Submitted: 17/11/2022
Department or Body: Australian Communications and Media Authority
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has no regulatory role in relation to the advertising or promotion of medical products, including COVID-19 vaccines. The advertising of therapeutic goods, including vaccines, is regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Questions about the legal requirements for advertising of therapeutic goods in Australia should be directed to the TGA. Australian consumer law protects Australian consumers from false or misleading claims about goods or services. Questions regarding potential breaches of the Australian consumer law should be directed to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). There are also self-regulatory arrangements for Australian advertisers, administered by the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA). The AANA Code of Ethics includes provisions that advertising shall not depict material contrary to prevailing community standards on health and safety. It also includes a mechanism for competitor complaints about misleading or deceptive advertising. Complaints about advertising content that may be in breach of the AANA Codes of Ethics, or other AANA codes, can be lodged with Ad Standards.
